Ella Thorp Ellis remembers walking hand-in-hand, at the age of 5, with John Steinbeck. "John liked kids," she says. "He asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said, 'A writer -- isn't everybody a writer?'"

In Ella's world, everyone was an artist of some sort. Her father, Dunham Thorp, was a scriptwriter and Joan Crawford's press agent. Marion, her mother, played the violin and wrote poetry.

Born in Hollywood, Ella spent most of her childhood in Moy Mell (Gaelic for "Land of Honey), a tiny bohemian community and writers' colony in the vast sand dunes near Oceano. Founder Gavin Arthur, a "Dunite" himself, was the grandson of America's 21st president, Chester Arthur.

The Thorps moved to Moy Mell in 1932, after Ella was crippled by polio as a toddler; they sought help from a gifted Oceano osteopath, Dr. Rudy Gerber. In her candid 2011 memoir, "Dune Child," Ellis describes slowly recovering under Gerber's care: learning to walk again, swimming in the ocean and exploring her beloved dunes as the colony's only child.

"It was a very loving community," recalls Ellis. "I was brought up by about 30 different adults, all of whom adored me."

Artists visited Moy Mell regularly, including some who would become legendary. Steinbeck was one of her favorites -- "He and I just took to each other" -- and she idolized Edward Weston, carrying his camera plates while he photographed the dunes. Hindu mystic Meher Baba impressed her as "the most beautiful man I'd ever seen."

But Ella disliked "bossy" Upton Sinclair, who ignored her when he came to visit Dunham, his press secretary.

"He adored my father and wanted his attention. So did I. We were total rivals," she declares. "My father was my life."

In 1938, Ella's parents divorced and she moved to Berkeley with Dunham. Six years later, at 16, she contracted tuberculosis and was confined to a hospital bed for three years.

"I hated being in the hospital, but they thought I'd die otherwise," she says. "I decided that I'd read all the books I ever wanted to read. 'The Grapes of Wrath' was one of them." That Steinbeck novel is the focus of this year's Santa Cruz Reads program, Feb. 27-March 27. Ella attended one of the discussion events and spoke up toward the end, says project co-founder Janis O'Driscoll, who was present.

"She said, 'I knew John -- he held my hand,' " O'Driscoll recalls. "She told stories about Steinbeck and all of us hung on her every word. It was such an amazing gift."

And Ella's childhood words to Steinbeck did come true: She became a writer and is now working on her 11th book.

Born: July 14, 1928, 'In the same hospital where Shirley Temple was born -- I was always proud of that.'Marriage: At 21, Ella married engineer Leo Ellis; 63 years later, they live overlooking Seabright BeachWorld travelers: Leo and Ella have resided in six countries, including seven years in Argentina; she has visited 47 countries to his 67Offspring: Sons Steve, Dave and Patrick; 12 grandchildren; one great-grandchild and another due soon Her mother: After years of depression and catatonia, Marion Thorp spent 28 years in Camarillo Mental Hospital before settling in San Luis Obispo.Education: Bachelors in English, UCLA; masters in English, San Francisco State; sculpture studies at the University of Cordova, ArgentinaTeaching: She taught writing courses at various schools including UC Berkeley Extension, the University of Women's Studies in Buenos Aires and San Francisco State University. Her writing: Ella's 10 books are primarily young adult fiction; six were named American Library books of the year and Time magazine included one in a 'best 10 juvenile books of the year' list. Currently she's working on an adult historical novel set in Argentina.Firsts: Ella saw her first flush toilet at the age of six and met her first Republican when she was in fifth grade.More information on Santa Cruz Reads: The final event of the monthlong 'Grapes of Wrath' project is Wednesday, March 27; details at www.santacruzreads.orgElla's email: ellathorpellis2@hotmail.com